I grew up in a family that was very musical, learned the blues and everything like that. And I became a little bit frustrated with the simplicity of rock ‘n’ roll and blues. I started listening to a lot of classical music — mainly Bach, Vivaldi. Then one day on TV — I was about 12 or 13 years old — there was a Russian violinist (I can’t remember his name) that was playing solo violin: 24 Caprices for Solo Violin by Nicola Paganini. I completely freaked out, because I knew that’s what I was hearing in my head. I decided I was going to use all of the arpeggios and linear notes and wide vibrato of the violin. I’ve always been a little bit of an extremist, so I decided to go all of the way.

—Yngwie Malmsteen, king of the neoclassical shred guitar, on Weekend Edition

A dance band called Dur-Dur Band ruled the nightclub scene in 1980s Mogadishu, thanks to a unique sound made possible by access to Western culture and instruments. Hear the story, including the group’s exodus from Somalia during the conflict that gripped the country in the early 1990s, and some funktastic tunes from All Things Considered.

I had preconceptions of what country music, or what country music fans, were like. Really, politics never even became an issue until I made the comment — so it just really wasn’t on my mind that I had to, you know, relate to everyone in my field on a political level. They explained that to me later, I guess. I didn’t get that manual.

— Former Dixie Chicks frontwoman Natalie Maines in an interview with NPR’s Melissa Block

No, baby, here’s the way it works: We make an album; everybody complains for the first five years. And after about 10 years, people start saying, ‘Hey, you know, that’s pretty good.’ The money kicks in about 20 years later.

In the mid-’90s, ‘The Stooges’ and ‘Fun House’ turned over into the black, and all the band members who survived started getting checks. And then a little later, the same happened to ‘Raw Power.’ Little by little, that old band has defeated a lot of our shag-haired, frilly-vest-wearing crapola, corporate rock gods and goddesses of the ’60s and ’70s. The problem now, of course, is do I have 30 years to wait for royalties for this record? [Laughs.] See, because I’m 66. I think people need to hurry up and buy a record.

— Iggy Pop gets candid with NPR’s Renee Montagne in his Morning Edition interview because he’s Iggy Pop

In an extensive interview with NPR’s Bob Boilen, Vampire Weekend talks about the long process and secret inspirations — including dancehall, hip-hop and smooth jazz — behind the songs on its third album, Modern Vampires of the City.

Photo: Alex John Beck

With two-part harmony, you are playing with elimination. Which of the three notes in a chord are you removing? Obviously there are chords that have more than three notes in them, but the basic structure of a major or a minor chord is in those three. With The Everly Brothers…they were masters at just choosing the perfect two notes in almost every situation. You never miss the third voice.

—The Chapin sisters discuss their new tribute album A Date With The Everly Brothers on today’s Weekend Edition

All Things Considered spoke with Phoenix vocalist Thomas Mars and guitarist Laurent Brancowitz about what motivates the band’s slow-and-steady working process.

The thing about Nick, Brian and me, the one thing that hasn’t changed, is that you couldn’t get a more awkward, shy and strange threesome on the casual level — and then when we hit the stage, it’s explosive.

—Yeah Yeah Yeahs on Weekend Edition today. Hear the entire interview.

On his new album, The North Borders, the British composer and DJ Bonobo uses samples from the outside world, like the sound of a truck’s air brakes, to push the idea of what can create melody and rhythm. Hear him explain his technique on All Things Considered.

I’m all about small towns. I think it’s a great place to grow up. But I think it might be a little more comforting to some people to hear it from a real perspective, instead of one that tries to sweep things under the rug.

—Kacey Musgraves is poised for breakout success in country music this year. Hear her on All Things Considered and stream her fantastic new record Same Trailer Different Park at NPR’s First Listen.